The San Francisco 49ers could take a huge step back to the top of the NFC West. Sometimes all it takes is a pinch of luck. Or a player who strikes fear into opposing offenses.
While all eyes are currently fixed on the upcoming Super Bowl LX on February 8, the remaining teams are already beginning to prepare for the 2026 season.
Especially during Super Bowl week, when the media spotlight is fully focused on American football, certain trades could hit particularly hard — like a bomb.
Maxx Crosby is Predicted to be Traded
Tyler Sullivan of CBS dropped a bombshell on January 29: star defensive end Maxx Crosby is emerging as one of the hottest trade candidates on the market.
And if there’s one destination that makes too much sense to ignore, it’s San Francisco. The 49ers, Sullivan argues, would be a possible landing spot for the 28-year-old wrecking ball — a move that could instantly tilt the balance of power in the NFC.
The Las Vegas Raiders are turning the page. They are still searching for their next head coach for the 2026 season. One thing already seems clear: with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Las Vegas is widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as its quarterback of the future.
It no longer feels like Maxx Crosby truly fits the Raiders’ long-term vision. Throughout the entire 2025 season, the relationship between him and the franchise steadily deteriorated, with trade rumors surfacing again and again.
Sullivan takes it a step further in his article. “Moreover, Crosby’s relationship with the franchise may be fractured a bit after he was shut down over the final two weeks despite his desire to keep playing. While that was under a previous coaching regime led by Pete Carroll, it’s fair to wonder if that sour ending could spring a trade,” he wrote.
In the 2025 NFL season, Maxx Crosby recorded 73 total tackles (45 solo), 10 sacks, 1 interception, and 6 pass deflections.
Crosby, yes! But at what cost?
But Sullivan doesn’t stop there — he even lays out a potential price tag for the star defensive end: a first-round pick… and a second-rounder.
The Niners currently own picks in Rounds 1 through 5 in 2026. San Francisco holds picks in Rounds 1 through 5 — ammunition to reshape their roster and chase glory.
They’ve sent their seventh to the Texans in exchange for defensive tackle Khalil Davis at the 2024 trade deadline.
Additionally, the 49ers sent a sixth-round pick to the Washington Commanders for running back Brian Robinson just days before the 2025 regular season.
As it stands, the 49ers hold the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 draft — and they’re set to select at No. 26 in the second round.
A steep price for a team with an aging roster and a laundry list of expensive contracts. But in order to compete at the top of one of the NFL’s toughest divisions, San Francisco will have to secure at least a couple of high-upside talents in 2026.
Maxx Crosby is one of the league’s elite pass rushers. Landing him wouldn’t just be a splash. It could be a game-changing move for the 49ers, turning their defense into a nightmare.
But it comes at a steep price — a bitter pill the 49ers may have to swallow.
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